Page 90 - SAMENA Trends - January 2022

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

included in the latest stats. Till Ashoj, the total fiber internet user Another private ISP Subisu has taken its user base to 2 lakh, 15
base totaled 15 lakh, 79 thousand, 4 hundred and 38. That means thousand, 2 hundred, and 48. The ISP likewise added a solid 6
the service providers added a total of 50 thousand, 3 hundred and thousand, 4 hundred, and 31 new subscribers. NTC, riding on
30 new customers on fixed wired broadband. With it, the total its Triple Play fiber-based broadband solution has continued its
percentage of fixed broadband (wired) connections has improved exceptional stride. What is more plausible is that the ISP’s speed
to 28.96% from 28.28% the previous month. NTA’s data show bump does not seem to affect the telecom operator. As of Kartik,
major ISPs WorldLink, Subisu, Classic Tech, uniformly sharing NTC’s total number of fiber subscriptions reached 1 lakh, 51
new customers in the ongoing internet speed war. State telco thousand, 6 hundred, and 76. The operator/ISP was able to steal
NTC has also continued its momentous growth in-between the another 6 thousand, and 21 new customers. Check out: Ntc Fiber
two months. However, the excitement has not fared well for a few. Internet FTTH Price, Speed and Offers Classic Tech which added
The stats for Kartik will be a relief for WorldLink as it restores a a massive over 21 thousand customers last month, had another
positive number from the previous month. The latest figure shows encouraging month. Like, its competitors, the ISP also added 6
the country’s largest ISP’s total customers at 5 lakh, 49 thousand, thousand, 9 hundred, and 74 new customers as of Kartik. The ISP
2 hundred, and 83. The Kathmandu-based ISP added a good total now serves 1 lakh, 87 thousand, 5 hundred, and 63 subscribers.
of 7 thousand, 8 hundred, and 81 during the one-month period. (January 4, 2022) nepalitelecom.com

Oman

An agreement was signed between International Emerging Oman and enhance cooperation in space sector technologies and
Technologies Company (ETCO) and Virgin Orbit to prepare related projects," Oman News Agency (ONA), said in a statement.
satellite launch platforms in the Sultanate of Oman. "With the Under the agreement, the establishment and launch of satellites
support of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and in low Earth orbit will be studied to conduct pioneering scientific
Information Technology, International Emerging Technologies research, capture high-resolution images of space, and digitally
Company (ETCO) signs a strategic agreement with Virgin Orbit of analyze data and images collected from orbit by employing the
America to prepare satellite launch platforms in the Sultanate of latest solutions. (January 26, 2022) timesofoman.com

Pakistan

State-backed telcos the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Senior officials from Huawei including Mr. Shunli Wang, Vice
Limited (PTCL) and the Special Communication Organization President of Huawei Middle East and Mr. Mark Meng, CEO
(SCO) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to Huawei Pakistan visited PTA Headquarters, Islamabad today.
cooperate on the development of telecommunications services They met with Chairman PTA, Maj Gen Amir Azeem Bajwa (R)
in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit Baltistan (GB) and discussed matters related to development of ICT sector in
regions. The deal will facilitate passive network sharing and SCO’s Pakistan. Various proposals for development of innovative digital
backhaul support for the PTCL’s launch of fixed wireless access solutions to accelerate progress towards Digital Pakistan came
(FWA) services over its 3500MHz spectrum. In addition, the pair under discussion. (January 6, 2022) pta.gov.pk
will offer their respective fiber assets for backup and redundancy
on a reciprocal basis to ensure uninterrupted provision of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has started
services and will jointly build access networks in cantonments accepting applications for Long Distance and International
and other locations. Other measures covered by the MoU include (LDI) license for Pakistan. This license shall be valid for a term
collaboration on multi-operator RAN (MORAN) and various ICT of 20 (twenty) years. Applicants for the license will have to
services. SCO DG Major General Muhammad Shahid Siddeeq was provide letter of application, CNIC or passport along with other
quoted as saying of the tie-up: ‘We are pleased to partner with relevant details/documents. The complete list of information
PTCL for upscaling telecom services in AJK and GB, where SCO and requirements is available at: https://pta.gov.pk/en/industry-
has played an instrumental in connecting the masses through support/home/wireline/long-distance-international Applications
high-quality internet and cellular services. Through our efforts, can be submitted via postal service to PTA Headquarters, F-5/1,
we hope to provide an inclusive and equitable environment that Islamabad or in person.
will ensure progress and growth.’ (January 14, 2022) commsupdate.com (January 5, 2022) pta.gov.pk

90 JANUARY 2022